


A Cut Above The Rest

by Girls_aremyweakness



Category: Wentworth (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-02
Updated: 2016-09-10
Packaged: 2018-08-12 14:35:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7938307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Girls_aremyweakness/pseuds/Girls_aremyweakness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ballie AU.</p>
<p>Set in the normal world - not in jail. </p>
<p>Bea has left Harry and is finally living the life she's always wanted. Allie enters her life and the story pretty much goes from there. </p>
<p>Bea owns a salon and the girls work there (except for Franky who owns her own restaurant).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ballie was something I never anticipated. I've watched a lot of f/f ships on tv, but nothing has made my heart melt like they did. There's not a huge amount of Ballie fics out there (compared to other fandoms) and I couldn't get them out of my head, so I decided to write about them myself. I have another fic on the go which will take priority, but expect an update on this one at least every couple of weeks :)

Bea takes a sip of her rapidly cooling coffee and distractedly glances out the window of the cafe she's sitting in, watching the world go by. She can't help but reminisce about how far she's come in the past year.

A year ago today, she told Harry she was leaving him, for good. Debbie was sixteen years old back then and finally old enough to understand her mother's decision. Bea had put up with Harry physically and verbally abusing her for more years than she cared to remember. Their household used to be one of fear and misery, and it took a lot of strength on her part to gain the courage to put her foot down and leave.

Bea had wanted to leave Harry as soon as she found out she was pregnant, but she didn't have the money to raise a child on her own and he promised to be different once Debbie was born. She shouldn't have been surprised when he broke that promise only a week after their baby had been born, but she was naive back then. 

In the beginning, Harry had been kind and attentive. It's what drew her to him in the first place. But when he lost his job and began drinking more, he turned into someone she didn't even recognize. The drinking continued even after he found a new job and that became the new normal. It was almost like living with someone who had split personalities. 

When she looks back, she feels ashamed at not having the courage to leave him sooner. Bea stayed because she was terrified about what he would do to her if she tried to leave. She could handle what he threw at her, but she didn't want Debbie to get caught in the crossfire. It wasn't until one day, when Debbie was fifteen, and Harry started to yell abuse at her, that Bea decided enough was enough. In her heart, she knew Harry would never lay a finger on Debbie, but she couldn't take the risk.

So, she started saving as much money as she could. For a year, she saved every single tip she got from working at the hairdresser's. She'd tell Harry she needed money to buy things for Debbie or school. She'd tell him she needed to buy new clothes, so she could dress the part of doting wife when his friends came over. She told him whatever lie she could come up with to get extra money from him. They had a joint bank account, but he never let her see a penny of it except for the allowance he gave her each week. 

Once she had enough money for a fresh start and a place of her own, she had to face her fears and tell Harry. She made sure to do it on a night where Debbie was staying a friend's place, just in case things got rough (more so than usual, anyway). At first, Harry went crazy. He screamed the usual insults at her; she's a useless mother, a terrible wife and a piss poor excuse of a woman.

As soon as he started to get violent and talk about putting her in her place, she pulled out a large file. The file contained all of her medical records from over the years. Every broken bone, every set of stitches and every bruise, all documented and compiled for the world to see. When she began putting the file together, she had been overwhelmed. It was one thing to live through those injuries, one at a time, but to see just how much damage she had let Harry inflict upon her during their time together had left her sick to her stomach. 

He flicked through the file, taking in each word with a blank look, unaffected. He said that she couldn't prove anything, it was her word against his, and who would believe a stupid bitch like her anyway? That was exactly why she had a backup plan. She was nowhere near as stupid as he tried to make her believe.

Harry's face soon paled when she played him a recording on her phone of a fight they'd had a few months back. Bea had locked herself in their bedroom and found her phone, slipped it into her pocket with it recording and waited for the inevitable to happen. Harry eventually broke down the door and proceeded to beat her. It could all be heard clearly on the recording and even Harry couldn't find an argument to that.

Bea told him that if he didn't let her leave, she would go to the police and have him arrested. As much as she would have liked to do just that, she had to think of Debbie. Bea had already let her down by being such a lousy parent all these years, she didn't want Debbie to have to deal with one of her parent's going to jail on top of all that. So, Bea told him he could keep the house, as long as she could keep her car and have half of their savings. She had enough money saved to start off with, in case he refused to give her any money, but he agreed on the basis she wouldn't demand half of the house later down the line. He could keep the house. It was Debbie's home too and the only thing Bea really cared about was being as far away from the memories of that place as possible.

Most of the time, Harry was a good father to Debbie. That was the only reason she offered to let him have joint custody. She knew Debbie struggled with the mixed feelings she had about her father, but deep down, blood was blood. Bea obviously would have preferred to have nothing more to do with him, but if she ran off with Debbie, that wouldn't end well for any of them, least of all her. 

She haphazardly packed all of her things, as much as she could fit into her suitcase anyway and headed to her friend's house. Maxine had offered to let Bea stay as long as it took her to find a place of her own. Bea would be forever grateful for Maxine's kindness and friendship during that time of her life.

From there, everything settled into place. Debbie wasn't surprised that her parents had split up in the slightest, having witnessed a lot of the verbal abuse Harry spewed at Bea, if not the physical. Not long after they had split, Harry had taken a new job that meant he worked away for weeks at a time, so Debbie primarily lived with Bea and spent time with Harry when he was home. It was better than she could have ever hoped for.

While staying at Maxine's house those first few weeks after getting away from Harry, they had discussed the idea of opening a hair and beauty salon together. Maxine had recently battled breast cancer and was ready to achieve all of those dreams she had let slip by in the past and Bea now had the freedom to do whatever her heart desired. The savings money she received from Harry went towards her share of the salon and Maxine matched it so they would be 50/50.

Now, a year later, Bea was sitting there in a coffee shop next door to her salon, enjoying her lunch break and getting lost in her own thoughts. What a difference a year can make. The business was doing well. Debbie was in her final year of school and studying hard. Bea was covering her rent and bills with ease. Everything was going well for the first time in her life and she couldn't be happier. 

As she gathers her phone and handbag to leave, her text message alert goes off. Bea stands from her table and reads the text as she exits the small cafe.

**Franky - Hey Red, don't forget my new waitress is coming in for an appointment this afternoon.**

Bea rolls her eyes as she reads over the text message. Franky owned her own restaurant and was one of her closest friends. Franky had hired a new waitress for her restaurant and told her to get a haircut at Bea's salon before she starts. She liked the waitresses there to look as attractive and put together as possible, as they were usually the first point of contact for customers. 

**Bea - I haven't forgotten.**  
**Franky - Sweet. Make sure you get Liz or Doreen to do it - she's a bit of a talker. You'd hate her.**

The salon was composed of three main hairdressers. Liz, a lovely lady, who was great with the customers and a hard worker. Doreen, who had recently given birth to baby Joshua, was now working part-time instead of full-time. Then there was Bea herself. She had picked up most of Doreen's clients since she had cut her hours to look after Joshua. She split her time between running the business (small accounting, stock taking, etc) and client appointments. Their receptionist, Susan, who preferred for some unknown reason to be called 'Boomer', had been tasked with making sure the appointments were spread between the three of them as best as possible, to make it work for everyone. 

**Bea - Don't worry, I've set her up with Doreen.**  
**Franky - Thanks Red. If you're free this week, bring the girls by and have dinner at the restaurant.**  
**Bea - I'll ask them what day is best and let you know.**

Bea met Franky a few years ago. Debbie went to the same school Franky's little sister attended and the two had slowly formed a friendship during the afternoons they spent waiting outside for school to finish. On paper, they were complete opposites. Franky, an outgoing lesbian, who didn't take shit from anyone. Bea, an unhappy housewife, who was a doormat for everyone and anyone. They did, however, share a few important traits. Loyalty, inner strength and resilience, despite their past. The two were the most unlikely of friends, but it worked for them.

"Hey, I'm back," she announces, walking through the front door of the salon and letting the girls know she had returned from her lunch break. 

She swears she hears Boomer mutter 'no shit, Sherlock' under her breath, but decides to ignore it. Maxine gives her a big smile from her station in the corner, where she's working on a client's nails and Liz gives her a quick wave from the sink where she's washing a lady's hair. 

"Bea!" Doreen shouts, exiting the back room where the office and staff room are, "I just had a call from Nash. He says Joshua has a high temperature and won't stop crying. I need to go home so we can take him to the doctor's."

She walks over to Doreen and places a soothing hand on her arm. "Of course. Go home and let me know if you can't come in tomorrow." Bea knows firsthand what it's like when your child is sick, especially when they're still a baby and you're still learning. It can be terrifying.

"Thanks, Bea." Doreen gives her a quick hug before leaving and she does her best to reciprocate. She's still not used to affection after all those years of being isolated with Harry.

"Boomer," she says, grabbing the receptionist's attention, "how many clients does Doreen have lined up for this afternoon?"

Boomer does a quick scan of the appointments book. "Just the two."

"Okay. Can you fit them into mine and Liz's schedule?"

"Can do, boss," Boomer replies with a mock salute.

"Great, I'll be in the office. Come and get me when my next client is here, okay?" 

She gets a thumbs up from Boomer and heads out the back to see if she can finish going over some paperwork before her next client arrives. Her and Maxine share the paperwork and stock taking duties, depending on who has a busier schedule throughout the day. Bea has a lighter day today and offered to get a start on the bills that needed paying for the month.

Time flies as she gets lost in work and lets her mind wander. She thinks about what to make Debbie for dinner and if she needs to stop by the shops on her way home. The feeling of looking forward to going home and making dinner was something she was still getting used to. For years, she used to take her time leaving work and would take the longest possible route home she could get away with. Now, she enjoys being at home and having the freedom to eat what she wants at whatever time she wants. It's the small things that Bea has come to appreciate the most.

"Boss, your next client is here!" Boomer shouts and Bea shakes her head, wondering why she couldn't walk the few steps to tell her that in person.

She quickly finishes what she's working on and heads out to meet her next client. Bea hopes whoever it is isn't too disappointed that it's not Doreen doing their hair today. As she rounds the corner to where the desk is, her eyes flick from the floor to the face of a woman patiently waiting for her. 

"Hi, I'm Allie Novak," the blonde greets. "Franky sent me."

Bea takes a quick second to appraise the younger girl. Her hair is more of a dirty blonde, mixed with a few different colored highlights and the length goes past her shoulders. She should be focusing on her hair, but she can't help be drawn to the engaging blue eyes that are now locked with her own. Objectively, the woman is beautiful. She can see why Franky hired her. 

"Bea," she introduces in return. "Right this way." She leads Allie to her work station and pulls out the chair for her to take a seat. Bea avoids looking directly at Allie, even if it's only through the big mirror. New people automatically set her on edge due to the years of low self-confidence and being told daily that she was worthless. She tended to stick to as little contact and words as possible so that the chances of her doing or saying something wrong would be limited.

"So, what did you have in mind?" she asks, getting one of the aprons off the rack to put around Allie. 

"Franky said to let you choose. Apparently you have good taste," Allie replies with a hint of a smirk. 

"Right," she says, rolling her eyes. Trust Franky to make things difficult. "I think it's best to start with making your hair all the same color. Do you mind a lighter shade of blonde?"

"Don't stress. Just do whatever you think will look best, okay?" Allie says, her voice full of confidence.

Bea gives a quick nod in response, still avoiding the other woman's gaze. She couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated by Allie's confidence. 

She takes a few moments to pick the right colored paste to dye Allie's hair with and mixes it together. Allie's presence seems to light up the room, it's only fitting her hair does too. _Where did that thought come from?_ She shakes it off and starts to add the paste and foils to the other girl's hair. 

Allie seems content for now to sit in silence, idly playing with her phone and Bea is grateful she doesn't try to make conversation with her. Small talk is the part of her job that she hates the most. When she worked at her last job, her boss would always nag at her to be more talkative with clients. She had worked there with Liz, who was a natural at small talk. She used to engage Bea's clients with conversation when she could manage, just to take the pressure off of Bea. That was one of the reasons Bea had offered Liz a job at her own salon. Loyalty and friendship were hard to come by.

"Okay, it should take half an hour for the color to soak in properly. Can I get you something to drink while you wait?" she offers.

Allie looks up from her phone and smiles at Bea in the mirror. "I'd love a tea, thanks."

Bea tells her not to move her head too much and sets off to put the kettle on. Before she gets to the kitchen, she asks the others if they'd like a tea or coffee too. Receiving a negative from Boomer and Liz, she walks over to Maxine's station.

"Want a cuppa?" 

"Oh, I'd love one. Thanks, Bea," Maxine says, smiling widely. Bea turns to walk away, but Maxine stops her from leaving. "Who's your new client?"

Bea turns slightly to look over her shoulder and notices that Allie is watching them, but her eyes flick back down to her phone when she's caught staring. "Franky's new waitress, Allie."

"She's gorgeous," Maxine appraises, eyes roaming Allie's form over Bea's shoulder.

She only shrugs in return. Anyone with eyes would be able to appreciate Allie's beauty.

"Franky wants us to go in for dinner some time this week," she says, attempting to change the subject.

"Did you say dinner?" Boomer shouts from her desk, eyes lighting up in excitement.

Bea lets out a small sigh and ushers Maxine to walk over to where Boomer is sitting so they can continue their conversation without shouting across the whole room. 

"Dinner at Franky's this week!" Maxine informs Boomer, equally excited.

Franky had met the girls almost a year ago when they had their first staff meeting at her restaurant and they had all hit it off. It was amazing how close they had all become in such a short space of time. The girls all adored Franky in return and loved going to her restaurant and receiving the VIP treatment. 

"I'm in!" Boomer says, grinning. 

"I need to check with Doreen first," she replies. Everyone was fairly flexible, but Doreen had a husband and a little one to think about. 

Boomer lets out a frustrated noise. "Uhhh, I'm going with or without her. It's been ages since I've tasted Franky's cooking."

"Booms, we were there two weeks ago!" Maxine laughs.

"Yeah, so it's like I said, ages ago," Boomer nods. 

"Whatever, I'm making going to make the tea." She doesn't want to keep Allie waiting too long, even if she does seem fairly easy going.

Bea makes the tea as quickly as she can and balances them all delicately in her hands so she doesn't have to come back a second time. She decides to drop Maxine her tea first, since it's closest to the staff room. Before she can take more than a step in that direction though, Allie is by her side, trying to help her with the cups of tea.

"Here, let me help you," Allie offers, taking the single tea in Bea's left hand, which is for Maxine. 

"I told you not to move your head too much," she scolds, trying to cover her surprise at the help being offered to her without even asking.

"Yeah, well, I've never been any good at taking orders," Allie quips. "Is this mine?" 

Bea shakes her head lightly. "No, that one's for Maxine."

Maxine, overhearing her name, looks up from her station and quickly walks over to take her cup of tea from Allie.

"Thank you," Maxine says, looking between the two of them. 

"No worries," Allie replies. "I'd stay and chat, but this one is pretty strict about me staying still." Allie lightly bumps her shoulder with Bea's and she tries not to stiffen too much at the unexpected contact. The blonde turns on her heel and dutifully sits back in her chair. 

Bea gives Maxine a look that says they'll talk again later and turns back to her station. She places Allie's tea in front of her on the bench so it's easy to reach. She sips her own tea in silence and checks her watch every now and then, not wanting to wait too long to take the foil out of Allie's hair, in case it starts to burn.

Once the designated time has passed, Bea shows Allie to the basin so she take the foils out and wash her hair. After all of her hair is free from the foil, Bea starts to gently wash her hair. She focuses on lathering the shampoo and ignores the quiet, but still audible, noises of contentment coming out of her client's mouth. 

By the time she gets around to washing out the conditioner, Allie's face is smooth and fully relaxed. Bea can't help but admire how beautiful she looks from this angle, lips pulled into a soft smile and long eyelashes on display. Usually, she would zone out when washing a client's hair and think about something else to keep her mind occupied. She's been a hairdresser for a long time and has no trouble going through the motions. But this time, she stays in the moment. There's something about Allie that has piqued Bea's interest, but she can't quite put her finger on it.

She squeezes the excess water from Allie's hair before placing a towel around her shoulders and guiding her back to her seat in front of the mirror. The next step is to cut her hair, but she's unsure about the amount.

"How short are you willing to go with your hair?" she asks, letting her fingers run through the freshly washed hair.

Allie takes a moment to think it over, looking at her own reflection thoughtfully. "I need to be able to tie my hair up for both of my jobs, but other than that, as short as you want. I'm kind of over trying to tame it every morning anyway."

She's listening intently to Allie's response and pauses when she hears the words 'both of my jobs'. "You're working more than one job?"

"Yeah. I'm working at Franky's to get some extra income, really. I'll be spending the rest of my time working at a women's shelter."

Bea's eyes flicker to catch Allie's in the mirror. It's the first time that afternoon she's voluntarily sought out the other girl's gaze and not immediately glanced away.

"You work at a shelter?" 

"Actually, I live there as well. My friend, Kaz, runs the place. She's like a mother to me and I wanted to help her out, because it can get pretty hectic there," Allie explains, though Bea gets the impression she's holding something back.

She grabs her scissors and starts to cut Allie's hair, thinning it out as she goes. Some of the defenses she likes to put up around other people have melted upon hearing Allie works at a shelter and she decides to put more of an effort in to make conversation.

"Are you excited to start working at Franky's?" she asks, deciding it's a safe enough topic.

"I _am_ excited, but I'm slightly nervous too."

"Yeah?" She didn't think Allie looked like the type to get nervous much. Maybe she was just better at hiding it than Bea.

"Yeah. Franky is a little intimidating. She's a cool chick though," Allie adds, knowing that the two of them are friends.

"Franky isn't as tough as she seems," Bea reassures with a tentative smile.

There were a few times Bea had called Franky in tears, when things with Harry had gotten too much. Franky had always been there for her and offered to take care of him on her behalf, but Bea would never let her do that, knowing the other girl had been in jail previously and would likely get even more jail time if she did anything to him. Instead, Franky had helped her the only way she knew how. She had brought Bea food to take home with her when they had seen each other at the school, so that Bea didn't have to cook if her ribs were bruised or she simply didn't have the energy. Franky always claimed she was experimenting with 'new ideas' for her restaurant, but Bea knew better.

"My first shift is on Thursday night," Allie says, breaking through Bea's thoughts. "Maybe you could pick that night to have dinner there. You know, to soften the blow if it all goes to hell."

Bea is momentarily surprised that Allie had listened into her conversation with Maxine and wonders how her presence could possibly make anything better. Besides, Allie doesn't even know her.

"I'll think about it," she replies, not wanting to instantly say 'no' and come off as rude.

"Make sure you do," Allie says earnestly.

"How long have you worked at the shelter for?" Bea has almost finished cutting Allie's hair, which means she doesn't have much time left to satiate her curiosity about the women's shelter.

"Not long, a few months. I've lived there longer," Allie replies somewhat mysteriously, almost like she can sense Bea's intrigue and wants to keep her hooked.

"It's an admirable thing you and Kaz are doing. Helping out those women," Bea comments.

"Kaz is great," Allie says, deflecting the praise directed at her. "If we can help even just one person, it's all worth it."

"I'm sure you'll be changing a lot of people's lives," she responds, thinking about how her own has changed so drastically.

"I hope so," Allie says wistfully, letting out a sigh.

"Almost done. Just need to dry your hair now," she says, plugging in the hairdryer.

The noise of the hairdryer isn't very conducive to conversation and it allows Bea time to think. As Maxine said, Allie is gorgeous, but that's not the first word that pops into her head when she thinks of describing the girl sitting in front of her. Kind. Caring. If Allie needs a second job for income, that means the shelter doesn't pay well, if it all, given that it's probably government funded. It tells Bea that Allie is devoting her time because she genuinely cares about the women there and wants to make a difference. She's beginning to understand why she feels so drawn to her.

"Finished," Bea announces, taking away the apron from Allie's shoulders and holding up a small mirror so the girl can see the back of her hair. "Do you like it?" 

"Bea," Allie says, eyes wide and radiant smile fixed onto her face, "I love it! My hair has never looked so good. Thank you."

"You're welcome," she replies. 

Allie gives her one last grateful smile before gathering her things. Bea grabs her broom and brushes some of the hair out of Allie's way so she doesn't have to jump over it on her way to pay.

Bea follows Allie to the reception desk where Boomer is waiting for directions on what she needs to charge the client. If it were anyone else, she would charge them for the cut and color, as well as the washing and drying, but that's not the case today.

"Boomer, just charge Allie for a standard haircut, okay?" 

"Standard?" Boomer asks, confused. She must know that Allie has been there for way longer than a standard haircut would warrant.

"Yep," she nods, making eye contact with Boomer, making it clear it wouldn't be wise to question her further.

She can feel Allie staring at her, so she looks up expectantly, waiting for the other girl to voice her protests.

"Are you under-charging me because I'm working for Franky?" Allie asks, tilting her head in question. 

"No, because of your other job," she replies softly, hoping Allie will catch the meaning behind her words. 

She had thought about going to a shelter a number of times. The only thing that stopped her was her need to take care of Debbie. It had taken Bea a long time to realize she didn't have to go through everything alone. If it wasn't for the support freely given to her by her friends, she never would have had the courage to leave Harry. Other women might not have that kind of support network. She wanted to give something back to Allie, even if it was just a cheaper haircut.

The blonde hands over her money without any other protests, surprise evident on her features. She takes out a couple of extra notes from her purse and places them in the tip jar, locking her eyes with Bea's to make sure she knows it's because of her. Bea watches Allie as she puts her purse back into her handbag and turns to leave. 

Allie places her hand on the door, preparing to exit the salon, but turns back around to send Bea a dazzling smile.

"I hope to see you again soon, Bea." 

She doesn't wait for a response, just confidently opens the door and walks out. It takes Bea a couple of moments to realize she's still staring at the door where the blonde has just exited. The couple of hours she spent in Allie's presence have left her feeling weird in a way that she can't describe.

"She has the hots for you," Maxine whispers in her ear, sneaking up behind her.

"Don't be silly," she scoffs. 

Maxine has obviously misinterpreted the situation. Allie is young, attractive and outgoing. There's no way she'd take an interest like that in her. 

Not that it matters to Bea either way. She's not gay.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the response to the first chapter! Just a side note - I'll be introducing characters from the Wentworth universe in upcoming chapters, but this is an AU, so they might be in different professions (obviously not officers etc). I'll do my best to keep their personality the same.

"So, what are you girls getting up to tonight?" Bea asks Debbie.

It's Friday night and Bea is driving Debbie to her friend's house. She offered to drive so Debbie didn't have to catch the bus, since it was on her way to Franky's restaurant anyway. Doreen had suggested they go out for dinner tonight because Nash would be home earlier from work and be able to look after Joshua.

"We're going to the movies," Debbie replies, absentmindedly tapping away on her phone.

"Just the two of you?" 

"Mum, stop worrying. Just focus on having a good time with the girls, okay?" Debbie says, slightly exasperated.

It was only natural for a parent to worry about their only child. Bea respects Debbie's right to make her own decisions, but she still wants to make sure she's on the right path. She doesn't want her daughter doing anything to jeopardize her final year of school. It's important to her that Debbie has a better life than she did.

"Do you need any money? Take whatever you need out of my purse," she gestures to her bag, which is next to Debbie's feet. 

Debbie reluctantly reaches for Bea's purse and lets out a sigh. "I hate taking money from you."

Bea's eyes flicker from the road to Debbie's hands which are stalling opening the bag. "Things are different now, Sweetheart. Just take it."

Gone are the days where they both have to watch every penny. Harry's control over their finances have affected both of them over the years and it seems like Debbie is still reluctant to take money from her.

"I know," Debbie sighs, finally taking a few notes out of the purse. "I'm thinking of getting a part-time job."

"What?" She tries to fix Debbie with a disapproving look while still concentrating on the road. "You don't need one. It's your last year of school, that's all you should be focusing on."

"I can't study every minute of the day, Mum," Debbie replies with a roll of her eyes. "Besides, it would just be a weekend job, so I can have some extra cash to spend when I go out."

"Okay," she reasons, thinking it over, "you can work at the salon, then."

"Mum," Debbie whines. 

"What?" she asks, confused. She thought Debbie would be grateful for the offer.

"There's nothing wrong with the salon," Debbie explains. "It's just, I'd be treated differently by the girls. They know I'm your daughter."

Bea takes a moment to let Debbie's words sink in. She can't find it in her to argue against the need for independence and anonymity, knowing better than most how important those things can be. Her little girl is starting to turn into a young woman right before her eyes.

"Okay, fair enough," she acknowledges, letting the subject drop. 

Bea continues driving and drops Debbie to her friend's house. She reminds her she'll pick her up in the morning and to call if she needs anything. From there, she makes her way to Franky's restaurant. The closer she gets to Franky's, the more her excitement builds.

A few years ago, she never could have imagined spending her Friday night with her friends and staying out until whenever she pleased. There's only one time she can remember going out for drinks after work. It was only a few weeks after she started her first hairdressing job. In all the excitement of being included for a night out, she forgot to tell Harry. It was the first and last time she went out, socially, for a long time. Harry made sure of that. 

Bea shakes those thoughts away and refocuses on enjoying the night ahead. She had agonized for longer than usual when choosing her outfit for tonight. Although Allie had said her first shift at Franky's would be last night, there was a good chance she would see the blonde tonight, given that the weekends were busy and required more staff. It's not that she wants to impress the other girl, but it wouldn't hurt to put a bit of extra care into her appearance, given that she had been in her less than fancy work clothes the first time they met. That's what she tells herself, anyway.

Initially, she had opted to wear a simple black dress that Debbie had convinced her to buy. However, once she had put the dress on and scrutinized her reflection in the floor length mirror, her insecurities came to the forefront. The dress was just above knee-length, which meant a couple of scars on her thighs were visible. She also wasn't used to wearing anything sleeveless, having spent years hiding her arms with long sleeves or jackets to hide her bruises. 

In the end, she had decided on skin tight jeans, paired with a shirt and leather jacket. The temperature of the night didn't really warrant a jacket, but she liked the comfort it provided. 

"Bea!" Boomer shouts, waving at Bea from the back of the restaurant, where the girls are patiently waiting for her. Well, most of them. "About damn time!"

"Sorry," she apologizes, taking a seat at the head of the table. It was the best seat in the house. Franky always reserved them a table overlooking the ocean, since the restaurant overlooked the beach front. The sun had just set, creating a lovely backdrop for their dinner. "I gave Debbie a lift to her friend's place and the traffic was a bit heavier than I had expected."

"That's okay, love," Liz reassures her. 

Maxine and Doreen greet her with matching smiles and Boomer hands her a menu to look over.

"Where's Franky?" she asks, noticing the empty chair at the opposite end of the table.

Franky is the owner/manager of the restaurant. Even though she's a great chef as well, she usually leaves the cooking up to her head chef, Will Jackson. Will and Franky still collaborate on the menu and what dishes to serve, but Franky can't run her business from the back of a kitchen. She much prefers to delegate and enjoy the perks of being self-employed.

"She's making sure the dinner service gets off to a good start. She said she would join us a as soon as she can," Maxine answers, eyes scanning her own menu.

"Drinks!"

Bea's head turns sharply to her right at the sound of a new voice approaching the table. It seems like her assumption was right; Allie is indeed working tonight.

Allie dutifully walks around the table, placing drinks in front of everyone, including Bea.

"Oh, I didn't order anything," Bea says, looking up into Allie's bright blue eyes. 

"Your friends told me you don't drink, so I got you some water," Allie replies with a smile. "If you want something else, I can get it for you?"

Bea shakes her head and reaches for the glass that has been placed in front of her. She notes that her water is complete with ice and a couple of slices of lemon, and tries to wrack her brain to remember if that's how it had appeared in the past or if it was Allie's doing.

"Are you guys ready to order?" Allie asks, glancing around the table to see if they're still deciding or not.

"I'm ready! Get your pen ready, Blondie," Boomer says, eager to place her order.

Allie takes all of their orders and disappears back to the kitchen. Conversation then returns to their table and they relax into each other's company with ease.

When in a group, Bea prefers to sit back a bit and just listen to the conversation, only contributing when spoken to or if she has experience to offer on whatever the subject at hand is. 

She listens carefully as Doreen tells them about Joshua's cold that he's finally starting to get over. She laughs in all the right places when Maxine talks about one of her odd clients from earlier in the day. When Liz tells a story about her daughter from when she was a kid, Bea adds one of her own about Debbie. Conversation flows all throughout their appetizers, the only minor incident coming from Boomer, who was unwilling to let Liz have a taste of her dish. 

Allie swings by to clear their table once it's obvious that they've all finished eating, making way for their main course. Bea gets caught staring and Allie sends her a subtle wink before walking away with their plates. She's still not sure what it is about Allie that keeps grabbing her attention, but it seems like the curiosity is mutual. It's not long after their starters have been cleared away that Franky finally appears at their table to join them.

"Red!" Franky shouts, accompanied by a light nudge to Bea's shoulder. "It's been way too fucking long since I've seen ya!"

"Not long enough," she jokes, trying to contain her smile. 

"You wound me," Franky laughs, hand placed over her heart as she takes a seat at the table. "How's the food girls?"

A chorus of compliments and appreciation greets Franky's question, everyone equally happy with their first course, except for one.

"Have you made the portions smaller or somethin' ?" Boomer asks, frown on her face. "And what's with all the bloody salad shit taking up the plate? You could fit more _real_ food on the plate if you got rid of that."

Franky isn't the slightest bit offended by Boomer's comments, instead laughing heartily, "Never change, Booms."

Before Boomer can voice any other criticisms, Allie arrives with their main course. The blonde distributes the first few dishes before returning back to the kitchen for the rest of them, unable to carry all of their meals at once.

"By the way, I love what you did with Allie's hair, Red," Franky comments, as the girl in question returns to their table with the rest of dinner. 

"Yeah?" she questions, unsure if Franky is being serious. It's not usually her style to give out compliments so freely.

"Yeah!" Franky agrees, eyes flicking over to Allie who is obviously listening to their conversation while dutifully putting plates down. "Allie told me it was the best haircut she's ever had."

Bea's eyes meet Allie's and the other girl shrugs. "I've never really had much money for things like haircuts.. I usually just cut my own when it gets too long."

Her heart sinks at Allie's admission and she can't stop the words that tumble from her lips. "Don't ever cut your own hair again, okay? Come and see me whenever it gets too long or you need a trim."

Allie's face lights up instantly. "Okay."

Bea's plate is then put in front of her, Allie apparently saving her for last. She notices that her dinner includes a big serve of vegetables that she didn't ask for. 

Before she can protest, Allie whispers in her ear, "Don't argue, it's good for ya."

Allie walks away, her hips swaying, leaving Bea slightly dumbstruck. Reading other people and their intentions was never her strong suit, but Allie's actions are leaving her more flummoxed than usual.

Bea is quiet throughout dinner. Her thoughts keep jumping back to Allie and those dancing blue eyes. She briefly wonders what Allie sees in her, to be taking an interest, but decides to chalk it up to just being grateful for a cheap haircut.

It's a little later on, when she only has a few mouthfuls of food left on her plate, that a sudden bout of yelling interrupts her peaceful bubble. A fight has broken out between two men at one of the surrounding tables. Their voices are raised and it's obvious that the fight is close to turning physical. Before the two men can be pulled apart, one of them picks up a glass and throws it towards the other guy. The glass just narrowly misses his head and smashes loudly against one of the walls instead.

Franky is quickly out of her seat to get the fight under control and a couple of the male bar staff lend themselves as back-up. The commotion eventually dies down after Franky orders the pair to pay their bill (plus extra for damages) and leave the property. 

Bea sits frozen in her seat, knife and fork gripped tightly in her hands. The fight brings memories of her own domestic abuse flooding back; the sound of breaking glass especially striking a cord. Before she can make a fool of herself and ruin dinner, she mutters out a quick 'just going to the bathroom', and leaves the table.

However, instead of going to the bathroom, Bea finds herself exiting the restaurant through the service entrance towards the back. She needs some fresh air to calm her mind, which is racing with flashbacks, as hard as she's working to think of anything else.

She's only outside for a minute or so when she notices a shadow appearing slowly to her right. 

"You're shaking," Allie points out, breaking the silence.

"It's cold," she answers, leaning against the brick wall and trying to steady her breathing.

"It's not cold," Allie replies, joining Bea against the wall but still giving her space. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Bea shakes her head and Allie lets out a small sigh, but doesn't move from her spot next to Bea to go back to work. Instead, they stand together in silence, breathing in the night air. It's rare that she feels comfortable in an almost stranger's presence enough to not feel the pressure to make conversation. She doesn't feel like Allie is waiting for or even expecting Bea to say anything, and it's that level of understanding that makes her actually _want_ to talk to the girl beside her.

"How was your first shift last night?" Bea asks, turning her head to glance at Allie who seems to be lost in her own thoughts.

Allie's eyes snap towards Bea and a smile appears on her face. "You remembered when my first night was."

"I have a good memory," she shrugs.

"Yeah, it was good. It was mostly training with the other waitresses, but I did some waitressing as a kid, so I picked everything up pretty quickly," Allie informs her.

"You're a natural," she agrees.

"I was hoping I'd see you tonight after Franky mentioned her friends would be stopping by," Allie confesses before her face changes into something slightly more serious. "Kaz loves my new hair and we were talking about how the women at the shelter could benefit from a good haircut, too." Bea doesn't say anything, not catching on to what Allie is getting at. "I mean, obviously we're only a small not-for-profit organization, so we couldn't pay you much, but there's room in the budget for us to work something out."

"I'm sorry," Bea says, shaking her head as if to clear it, "I'm not following."

Allie turns her body to face Bea properly, eyes searching her face intently. "I, _we_ , were wondering if you could come to the shelter once a month to do some haircuts? Some of the women are currently job hunting and it would do wonders for their confidence if they had a new hairstyle. Plus, first impressions are pretty important to employers." Allie pauses to take a breath. "So, what do you think?"

"Why me?" she questions, surprised by Allie's idea.

"Because you're a bloody good hairdresser," the blonde answers, a cheeky smile on her face. 

"Okay," she agrees, taking a deep breath. "I'll do it." Her initial instinct was to say 'no', but really, why shouldn't she do it? It's an opportunity to help out other women who are struggling, possibly in the same way she has in the past, and it's only once a month. On top of all that, Allie looking at her with so much hope and excitement in her eyes made it almost impossible to decline.

"Really?" Allie asks, hope lacing her voice.

"Yeah," Bea confirms, a smile beginning to creep onto her face.

"Awesome! I can't wait to tell Kaz, she's gonna be stoked. By the way, I wasn't joking about not being able to pay you much. I hope that doesn't change your mind.."

"I don't want any money," she replies, happy to do it for free if it helps. "Keep it for something else."

"Bea, thank you," Allie says sincerely. "I have to get back to work, my breaks is almost over. Here," Allie reaches for her notepad and pen, "this is my number. Text me next week and let me know when you're free." Allie hands her the piece of paper and Bea reaches forward to take it, their fingers brushing lightly. 

"Okay, I'll text you," Bea confirms, folding the paper and putting it in her pocket. 

Allie flashes her one last grateful smile before heading back inside, leaving her once again with her thoughts. Bea has forgotten all about the fight, mind now focused on what Allie just proposed instead. She can't help but feel a little excited at the thought of helping others. It also occurs to her that she might be seeing more of Allie, which adds its own kind of excitement that she tries not to read too much into.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading :) If you feel like leaving feedback, it's always welcome, if not - just thanks for giving this a read anyway!


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